>It seems to me that barrel rolling is one of many tools we have at our disposal. There >are cases where it may not be appropriate. But to make some of the blanket >statements for or against it that I have read in this thread seem equally foolish.

Agreed. There are cases where it can be done safely - as long as it is planned for.

To me it's like the 45 degree rule. There's nothing unsafe about looking out at a 45 degree angle from the plane and then jumping - PROVIDED you leave enough time between yourself and the previous group. The time it does become a problem is when you assume that the 45 degree thing is all you need to do to get safe separation.